Calorie agreed and told him that even though he had all of the ability and knowledge of his job, he felt as though he still had to be a step ahead of his Caucasian colleagues.
"You know," Gigolo said,
"it's a shame when GOD gives you a gift and
you perfect that gift. Then you show the world that gift and they reject it
because you're Black. Man I thought this was the new world.
"It is the new world," Walter said, "it just has the same old rules."
"What's going on at your place of employment Walter?" Calorie asked.
"Same shit. Them White mutha fuckas got me doing all their work
and they get the big money."
"What the hell you talkin' about?" Gigolo asked.
"I'm saying they bring all this half written, half spelled work to me and
expect me to make sense of the shit. Hell I wasn't out in the field when
you did the story. How in the fuck am I supposed to know what the hell
is going on?"
"Man I think you need to stop drinking those lattes in the morning.
That shit gets you way too hype." Calorie said as they all enjoyed a quick
laugh.
"Why don't you just ask for a change in position? Do some writing in
a column or some shit like that," Gigolo suggested.
"I could, but I like editing. Catching those assholes' mistakes."
"Then mutha fucka stop complaining about the work you do." Calorie
said as they all burst into laughter.
"Fuck y'all," Walter said as he laughed with them.
"What's up with you G?" Calorie asked. "Didn't you just get the nod
to go ahead and start building that new center over on Vineland and
Ventura?"
"Yeah, it is going to be the shit too."
"What kind of design ideas you got for it?" Walter asked.
"Nothing too fancy. I'm just going to make it nice and neat."
"Then what's going to make it the shit?" Calorie asked.
"The fact that it is on Ventura Blvd where the old Racquetball World
used to be. Prime piece of property to build on."
"Why is it a plus for you?" Walter asked.
"Because that means I can command a higher building cost, a larger
contract. Which means more money."
"That's right." Calorie agreed.
The fellas sat and continued to eat the cold waffles as the second half
of the game began. Walter told them to get ready for the miracle half as
his team was trailing by twelve.
"Miracle," Calorie said in disbelief. "It would be a miracle if the Lakers
don't blow these fools out."
"Talk all you want," Walter defended, "but the end result is all that
matters."